Halloween Sweet
by Mered
Summary: Ed hates Halloween. Roy invites him to his library. They find having company isn't a bad thing.  pre Roy/Ed


**Title:** Sweet (Prompt + Halloween fic)  
**Author: **Mered  
**Rating:** PG  
**Spoilers:** sort of for the manga  
**Warnings:** none. =) FLUFF though  
**Pairings: **pre Roy/Ed, hinted Al/Mei  
**Summary: **Ed hates Halloween. Roy invites him to his library. They find having company isn't a bad thing.  
**Notes: **It takes place when Ed is seventeen, so slightly Alternate Timeline as in, Ed doesn't really like Winry and stays in Central.

Edward growled and shoved his hand through his hair as he scribbled out what he had just written. He hated it. He hated Halloween with all his heart. Kids hyped up on sugar that ran screaming through the streets. Crossly he dragged the pen across the sentence, then seemed to think better of it, crumpled up the paper and tossed it next to the others. He dragged his hands through his hair again, tangling it and pulling some pieces loose from his pony tail. He grumbled some more as he started over again and did his very best to ignore the rasp of shoes against pavement, the yells of the children, the parents worried whispers and the bright calls of "Trick-or-treat!" at every _damn_ door. He was irritated and his irritation only seemed to increase as the night dragged on.

At his thirty-some-odd ball of paper a familiar voice asked, "Fullmetal? What are you doing out here?"

Ed started and made a line through his sentence. Glaring death, he balled it up and started over. "Working. What else would I be doing?" He added a "Bastard" after a minute of thought.

"Out here? Aren't you staying at the hotel?"

"Yeah, I am. But I hate tonight. There are parties on every level and there's _nowhere_ quiet to work."

"I though Alphonse would be with you…"

"He took Mei out trick-or-treating. And Winry's in Rush Valley before you ask."

Edward returned his attention to his paper and promptly began writing again.

When his former commanding-officer didn't seem inclined to leave, he looked up and spat out an annoyed "What?"

Mustang's eyebrow rose. "Your temper hasn't improved at all, has it?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"It doesn't."

"Besides, what are _you_ doing all the way over here?"

"I live just a street away." The Bastard didn't seem inclined to add anything else.

"Hmm." Ed didn't have a whole lot to say to that, "You don't have a date for tonight?"

"Fullmetal, I'm not as sex-obsessed as you seem to think I am. So no. I do not. And since you don't seem to be doing anything more than sitting at a _picnic bench_ in a _park_, why don't you come back to my house. I have a library you can work in."

Ed pondered this idea with interest. "A _quiet_ library?"

"A quiet one." Mustang confirmed.

Ed bequeathed the General with a charming smile and agreed.

Three hours, thirty five minutes and eight seconds later, Ed had immersed himself in the library and was working his way through his equations and arrays with delight. He didn't hear the man enter the room and _thump_ a mug down onto the table in front of him.

Mustang cleared his throat and held a cup out to the seventeen year old who took it from him murmuring a thanks, then looked up in surprise.

"You didn't put milk in it," he remarked.

"You don't like it do you?"

"No, but I never…"

"..told you. I watched you. I know what you like. Like I know you love a lot of sugar in your tea." He nodded to the mug.

Ed pressed the mug between his two human hands and stared down into the liquid, c___omplentating something. _

_"__Thanks." He looked up and then scooted back from the table. "Want to see my notes?" _

___Mustang gave him a small smile. "I'd like that." _

___Ed grinned and moved his chair farther over as Mustang drew up one, and to both their surprise neither argued as Ed discussed his theories. _

___Ed gave a yawn as Mustang went over another one of his arrays. "How did this one come about?" _

Ed laughed. Mustang was really getting used to that. "It was when I was twelve or thirteen and had gotten tired of mud getting all over my clothing. So I figured out an easy way to remove it. I can also unravel clothing like that…" he let the sentence dangle, baiting the older man.

But Roy – as the older man had insisted Ed call him – just shook his head. "Tempting, but I don't need it. They willingly take off their clothes."

He dodged a hit from Edward and laughed as the boy nearly tumbled out of his chair.

Ed moved his lips in a parody of a grin, showing more teeth. "I should kill you," he growled.

The shouts from outside had died out some time ago, and Ed wondered what he was still doing here.

"How's Scar?" he suddenly asked grinning.

Roy put on a sour look. "He and Miles and I are still working out the Ishbal problems. But, well. I think General Armstrong did that to annoy me."

"Probably. She looks at us like we're all just bugs."

Roy laughed again and patted his thighs before standing and looking at the clock. "It's almost one thirty, Ed. I think it's time we both get to bed. You can sleep in the guestroom if you'd like."

Ed rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I think I'd rather eat." His stomach growled. "I haven't eaten since lunch."

Roy snorted and shrugged. "I'll show you the kitchen then."

As Roy led the way to the kitchen he tried to cover a grin, but couldn't. His former youngest subordinate had somehow become endearing over the past year. Even after Al had returned and grown strong, and he himself had regained his eyesight, Edward had matured without warning. He lost the baby fat, put on a few inches, a bit broader of shoulders and narrow hips. He had grown up, Roy admitted to himself. He would be almost his height. He was sure of it.

In the kitchen, he pulled a box from the counter. Inside was chocolate. He offered some with amusement to Ed who looked at it in horror.

"You partake in that awful tradition?"

"No, Elysia Hughes does though. Gracia had some extras so she gave me some."

Edward shook his head, thinking about the little girl who had been growing, (and if Hughes was still alive, would have been proud) and becoming more intelligent with each day.

Ed bit into one and his eyes opened in surprise. "It's good!" he exclaimed.

Roy let his lips fold into a smile as he took the chocolate from Ed's hand and ate the rest of it. "Yes it is," he agreed. "Gracia is a very good cook."

Eyes watched him from over the mug he had put to his mouth again. And behind the mug, there was a slight blush.

Innocent, Roy was amused. Adorably innocent.

Outside, the wind howled slightly, but the tea was warm and the chocolates were tasty and the company was good, so Ed couldn't quite care that he was vulnerable at this moment in front of a man he once hated. So, that's how it was.

He grinned and Roy grinned back.


End file.
